


Dark Days

by Lady_Zephyr



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Acceptance, Anger, Crying, Gen, Moving On
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 10:51:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14423853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Zephyr/pseuds/Lady_Zephyr
Summary: How long had it been since Noctis was sucked into the crystal? Prompto honestly didn’t know. His emotions get the best of him and he lashes out at the ones he loves.





	Dark Days

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody!
> 
> I kind of forgot I had started writing this until it resurfaced recently. I must have been very sad when I started it because re-reading what I had so far was making me tear up. But hopefully you enjoy where the story ended up going!

How many days had it been since Noctis got sucked into the crystal? A week, two weeks, a month? Had it been longer than that? Prompto honestly didn’t know. He had returned to Cape Caem in a haze, following Gladio’s lead, barely keeping it together enough to help Ignis when he lost his footing. He didn’t speak much – didn’t need to when he had Ignis and Gladio at his side. They did the hard work so it was up to Prompto to just… keep up.

He didn’t even realize they had arrived until he heard Iris cry, her piercing sobs pulling him back into reality. 

“Where’s Noctis?” She cried. “Why isn’t he with you? Gladdy, please tell me he’s okay.” 

Gladio turned his head, the horrible truth displayed for everyone to see. Iris sank to her knees, sobs growing in intensity. “We have to go back. I’ll go with you this time… there… there has to be something we can do!”

“There’s nothing we can do. He’s... Noct is gone.” Prompto said, his voice low. He did his best to keep it together, but his shoulders were already starting to shake and he could feel the moisture welling up in his eyes.

“I don’t believe you!” Iris screamed. “We have to go back. We have to go back for Noctis!” Her hands covered her face as she cried, long soul-wracking sounds reaching from the depths of her body. 

“You think we didn’t try?” Prompto yelled. His fists curled at his sides, his hazy demeanor quickly giving way to rage. “We watched Noct get sucked into the crystal while that bastard laughed.” He stood with his teeth clenched, remembering the moments leading up to Noct’s disappearance.

Golden eyes flashed through his mind, viscous ichor dripping down Ardyn’s face like tears. He saw Gladio swing at the older man, Ardyn stumbling, but continuing onward. Reacting quickly, Prompto pulled his gun from the armiger, firing a single bullet through the shimmer of blue sparks. He took a step back, thrown off by the recoil of the gun, and watched as Ardyn’s body hit the ground with a sickening thud. He experienced a moment of elation, immediately replaced with fear and confusion as Ardyn stood and walked away, the deep timbre of his laugh echoing across the hollow chamber. 

Prompto turned, throwing a few last words over his quaking shoulder. “There’s nothing any of us can do now.” 

He walked away from the scene, the sounds of Iris’ uncontrollable sobbing tugging at his heart. Moving quickly, he made his way up the hill to the lighthouse – the last place they were ever truly happy together. It was windier than he remembered at the top of the tower, and the seagulls had stopped calling, probably too scared to take flight in the looming darkness. He couldn’t blame them. He didn’t want to be out in the darkness either.

He stood there for a long time, peering through the darkness out across the ocean. He looked down at the shore and spied the haven they had camped at before leaving for Altissia. He remembered picking up the darkshells with Gladio, the pleasantly spicy dish Ignis had prepared that evening, and he remembered taking those stupid pictures with Noctis at dawn. He realized they were still in his camera, the pictures so silly he hadn’t bothered to show Ignis or Gladio, but he couldn’t bring himself to delete them either.

Fresh tears spilled down his cheeks at the memories. What was he doing here? He should be in the house with everyone else, consoling Iris, explaining what had happened, plotting their next move. But he only felt numb. The cold wind coming off of the ocean blew his vest open, but he barely felt the sting of the spray. He just stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly out at the expanse of water. 

Maybe he was waiting for something. Across the ocean was Altissia, beyond that Tenebrae, with Gralea even farther still. And just past the city limits was Zegnatus Keep - that cold, dark tower filled with daemons and crazed magitek soldiers. The group had arrived too late; all that was left of Noctis was an outstretched hand slowly being pulled into the crystal. 

And they had just left him there. 

With no way to transport the magical source, the group had no choice but to evacuate the Keep and make their way back to Lucis. Prompto couldn’t accept that they had willingly left his best friend behind.

Was Noctis scared? Was he hurt? How would he ever be able to find his way back to safety without his friends? Prompto imagined Noctis wandering through Zegnatus alone, if he managed to find his way out how would he get back? Everyone in Gralea was dead and the trains had stopped running long ago. 

Prompto continued to stare at the ocean. He hoped for a light, the sound of a horn, a ripple of water – anything that might signal an approaching vessel. But nothing changed. The sky remained quiet and dark.

He heard the sound of the elevator before he felt the rumble, the shuddering jolt as the doors pried themselves open followed by the sharp click of expensive shoes. “Bloody hell,” a voice muttered under the loud ring of a cane connecting with the metal guard rail. 

“Prompto-“

“I’m here, Iggy. To the right.” Prompto said. He tried to keep his voice level, but his sniffling betrayed his emotions to Ignis. Rendered blind, the man had it worse than anyone in the group, and Prompto didn’t want to add to his burden. He continued to stare at the ocean not even moving an inch when he felt the soft tap of the cane against his boot. At least there was no need to put on a happy face when Ignis couldn’t see him anyway. 

“Sorry for running off like that.” Prompto said. “I hope Iris isn’t too mad at me.”

“Emotions are running high all around. I doubt she will stay angry at you for long.” Ignis placed a tentative hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “Although, I suppose it never hurts to apologize.”

Prompto exhaled and let his head fall, blinking back more tears as he stared down at the walkway of the lighthouse.

“Yeah, you’re right Iggy. I’ll make sure I apologize to her.” 

The two men stood in silence for a time, the cold wind blowing the salty spray into their faces. Prompto tried to control himself, he didn’t want to appear weak in front of Ignis, but the more he tried to push down his emotions, the harder they fought to escape. His shoulders began to shake and his bottom lip trembled. As much as he tried he couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer.

“What happens if he doesn’t come back?” Prompto whispered. He knew there was no way Ignis could possibly know what would happen, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“We keep fighting until we breathe our last.” Ignis said with certainty. He moved his hand from Prompto’s shoulder and placed it on the cold metal of the hand rail. Turning, he stared blindly at the ocean. “There are many people who can’t fight the daemons like we can. I believe Noct would have wanted us to protect those in need.” 

Prompto looked up at Ignis. He stood proud and tall, wind blowing his tawny hair back from his face. Beneath his dark glasses emerged a single tear. Prompto never would have known Ignis was crying if he hadn’t seen it for himself. Suddenly Prompto’s own eyes overflowed. He turned and pulled Ignis into a tight hug, tears staining the taller man’s dark shirt as he wept into his chest. Ignis wrapped his arms around Prompto’s shoulders, holding the blonde close as he sobbed. 

Prompto hadn’t realized how badly he needed this. After closing himself off for so long he was starved for human touch. The simple, warm embrace from a close friend was what he had needed this whole time. While it didn’t solve the problem, he felt this was the first step to accepting what had happened in that far away, cold land. Ignis just held Prompto, only pulling away once his breathing had evened out and his tears had stopped.

Ignis placed his hands on Prompto’s shoulders and held him at arm’s length. He aimed his face toward Prompto’s, hoping the blonde was looking back at him, and began to speak.

For the first time in weeks Prompto smiled. He knew he was a mess – eyes red and puffy from crying, hair blown in every direction from the wind, but in this moment he couldn’t have been happier. Placing his hand gently at Ignis’ back he lead the blind man to the elevator, and stepping inside he pulled the lever that would take them back to ground level. 

Gladio was waiting for them as they stepped out of the building. He took over for Prompto, helping Ignis find his way down the path to the house. The blond caught a few words the large man had said - Iris had cried herself to sleep, and Dustin was keeping Talcott busy while Monica got started with dinner. 

Prompto held himself back waiting until the pair had entered the house before turning back to the lighthouse. 

Across the ocean was Altissia, beyond that Tenebrae, with Gralea even farther still. And just past the city limits was Zegnatus Keep - that cold, dark tower where Noctis lay trapped within the crystal. But this time Prompto was smiling, the words Ignis said at the top of the lighthouse repeating inside his head. They were said with such conviction that Prompto knew Ignis was right.

_”Noctis will return to us one day. Together we will defeat Ardyn and bring back the dawn.”_

Prompto took a deep breath, nodded, and turned toward the house. He would always worry about his best friend, but right now there were others who needed him to be strong. Prompto decided he would continue on for them. He would keep moving forward so that he could make Noctis proud.


End file.
